Electromagnetic properties of the deuteron and the Bethe-Salpeter equation with one-boson exchange

The deuteron electromagnetic form factors are studied in a relativistic framework. Using the Bethe-Salpeter equation in the ladder approximation with a superposition of $\pi$, $\eta$, $\epsilon$, $\delta$, $\rho$, and $\omega$ exchange as the driving force, we calculate the deuteron vertex function. The construction of the deuteron current from the vertex function is described in some detail. In order to obtain numerical results an approximation is introduced in which parts of the boost effects are neglected and the corrections are discussed. The calculated form factors are compared with the nonrelativistic results obtained from the Reid soft-core interaction.